video transcript

J.K. Rowling appeared in London on Thursday (September 27) night, just hours after her eagerly anticipated book hit the shelves. The Casual Vacancy is Rowling's first book for adults about life in a small English town. While its received mixed reviews, the Harry Potter author told the audience at the Southbank Centre she was avoiding the critics. SOUNDBITE: AUTHOR OF THE NOVEL 'THE CASUAL VACANCY', J.K.ROWLING, SAYING (English): "I did spend the first two years on this book telling myself: 'You don't have to publish this.,' not because it's this, just because I was revelling in the thought that I had no contract, no-one knew what I was doing, it was just a lovely place to be in after Potter which, latterly, there was so much pressure involved, you know, people were always waiting for the next book, three seconds after I published a Harry Potter book. And so I spent a couple of years really luxuriating in the feeling that no-one knew what I was doing, but I always knew I was going to publish it. You know, I did, setting aside Salinger, you write to be published. So tonight is lovely, it's a celebration, it feels good." Hefty sales are expected for the writer who has sold 450 million books. And its not the only title the author is planning post-Potter. Two more children's books are already being developed, and Rowling says she also has ideas about her second adult book as well.